Monthly Archives: octobre 2025

Spotlight on General Bank of Canada

1. What is the mission and vision of General Bank of Canada?

To build a bank for generations. [To build a bank for generations implies extensive trust]. General Bank operates as a Financial Product Manufacturer and works with Distributors / Brokers to have Consumers access our products.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

As a financial services product manufacturer we don’t hold direct to consumer relationships – we work with other financial services distributors. However, we need to validate those relationships with consumers and distributors to meet our regulatory obligations.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

The more easily and quickly (digitally) we can verify individuals the more we can get our products out in the market and meet our regulatory obligations.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada can definitely be a leader in digital trust and identity – there is already a lot of great work ongoing.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

General Bank is transforming and digital trust / verification is becoming a larger focus for us.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

General Bank is full Canadian Chartered Bank but we don’t have direct to consumer relationships (so we are a very different Chartered Bank).

Spotlight on Facephi

1. What is the mission and vision of Facephi?

Facephi’s mission is to create seamless, trustworthy digital identity experiences that prioritize security, privacy, and compliance. ​We enable businesses to transform by connecting users to the digital resources they need efficiently and safely—whether as employees, partners, or consumers. Through our advanced identity verification technology, we simplify and secure the access of people ​to essential digital assets and services, ensuring that organizations worldwide can thrive in a digital-first world.

Facephi envisions a future where secure digital identity is at the heart of every interaction, seamlessly linking people, applications, services, and data. We aspire to be the foundation that supports and protects each digital connection, enabling individuals and organizations alike to navigate a secure digital world with assurance and confidence. ​We believe in a future where every identity and every access point is safeguarded by robust, transparent digital identity infrastructure.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

In today’s world, digital identity is essential to secure and scalable digital engagement. ​As more sectors—finance, healthcare, travel, and others—move toward online services, secure and trusted digital identity becomes critical. ​

Traditional perimeter-based security models no longer apply effectively, especially with the rise of cloud computing. For this reason, the «  »Identity-First Security » » model has emerged as the most viable framework for protecting digital assets. ​
​
Our solutions help organizations transition to a robust, decentralized, and identity-centric security model. The convergence of secure authentication, data protection, and privacy compliance represents a necessary paradigm shift, particularly for emerging markets ​where secure and equitable digital access can drive significant economic growth.​

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity is a foundational element that powers global digital commerce, enabling access to essential services securely and universally.​ With secure digital identity, both individuals and organizations can engage in borderless business from anywhere in the world. ​Facephi facilitates this transformation by enabling secure identity verification that supports secure digital access at scale. ​As we build identity ecosystems that are interoperable, user-centered, and privacy-respecting, we support the global economy’s digital shift by ensuring seamless and secure interactions across borders. ​This shift has the potential to unlock access to vital services, foster trust across regions, and create an inclusive digital economy.

Facephi addresses the complex challenges of digital identity through an adaptable, interoperable approach to identity management. ​Our technology supports multiple identity roles—Issuer, Holder (Wallet), and Verifier—alongside a Trust Registry, enabling us to provide secure identity solutions at every step. ​We are aligned with standards like mDOC (ISO 18013), W3C Verifiable Credentials, and SD-JWT, ensuring compatibility with global frameworks. ​By focusing on interoperability and secure frameworks, we help organizations establish the trust and scalability needed for broad digital identity adoption. ​Our approach encompasses both the issuance and verification of credentials, combining compliance with innovative solutions to ensure secure, accessible, and user-centered digital identity management.

4. What role does Canada have as a leader in this space?

Canada has an essential role to play as a leader in secure digital identity, supporting ​both regulatory frameworks and technological standards that foster trust and innovation. ​As Canadians increase their reliance on digital services, it is critical to ensure the security and integrity of digital identity systems. ​By establishing standards for trusted digital architecture, Canada can help shape a secure, transparent ecosystem that enables users to control access to their personal information with precision and confidence. ​Canada’s commitment to a trustworthy digital identity infrastructure will set an example globally and drive progress in secure, interoperable identity systems.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

Facephi joined the DIACC to collaborate with leading organizations ​in advancing secure, user-friendly digital identity standards. ​We share DIACC’s commitment to building a trusted framework ​that empowers people, businesses, and governments to interact safely online. ​By participating in DIACC, we contribute to and benefit from a collaborative approach to developing a secure digital identity framework that respects user privacy, ensures interoperability, and promotes innovation.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

Facephi is a global leader in digital identity verification and authentication, providing technology that enables secure, user-friendly access across industries. ​Our platform supports a wide range of digital identity solutions, from secure identity verification and authentication to credential issuance and verification, adhering to standards like OID4VCI for credential issuance and OID4VP for credential presentation. ​Our solutions address interoperability, Trust Frameworks, and compliance with global digital identity standards, providing a robust foundation for organizations pursuing digital transformation. ​Through advanced technology and strategic partnerships, Facephi is shaping the future of secure digital identity and enabling seamless, trusted interactions in an increasingly digital world.

Spotlight on Keyless

1. What is the mission and vision of Keyless?

Our vision is for a safer, more private world. Keyless is on a mission to redefine how the world authenticates – enabling people to securely access services with a simple look, without compromising their biometric data.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

We can answer this with a simple example: mule accounts. Fraudsters will pay people to open bank or crypto accounts using their real ID, then take over and use those accounts to launder money. On paper, the account looks legitimate – but the person using it isn’t who the bank thinks it is.

This kind of fraud is only possible when identity assurance is weak. With trustworthy digital identity, this can be stopped by verifying who is really behind the screen not just at sign-up, but every time they log in, send a payment, or change account details.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity is the foundation for secure online interactions. It drives inclusion, cuts costs, and reduces fraud. When companies can trust their users, they grow faster and more confidently.

Keyless sits within consumer apps – often in banking and fintech, but also in government and university portals. Whenever a user performs a sensitive action, like logging in or approving a payment, Keyless triggers an authentication selfie using the device’s camera. Unlike text messages, call centers, or even FaceID, this process actually proves who the user is – not just that they have access to a device or mobile number.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada is already taking significant steps toward becoming a global leader in digital identity. The government is actively developing a nationwide digital ID program designed to make accessing both public and private services faster and more secure.

By continuing to invest in public-private collaboration, Canada can lead the way in building trusted, inclusive digital ecosystems that other countries look to for guidance.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

We joined DIACC to help shape the future of digital identity in a way that’s secure, user-friendly, and preserves citizen privacy. We believe in collaboration and are excited to contribute our expertise in biometric authentication and privacy-preserving technologies.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

Within the biometric authentication space, Keyless is known for its privacy-preserving approach. Uniquely, we authenticate users without storing their facial biometric data anywhere – keeping their biometric information completely private.

Paver la voie : Le succès de la VI client dans le secteur juridique au Canada

Le secteur juridique du Canada a effectué plus de 700 000 transactions de vérification de l’identité client (VI client) en une seule année (du 1er octobre 2023 au 30 septembre 2024), ce qui prouve que la VI client numérique sécuritaire et commode peut fonctionner à grande échelle dans des environnements hautement réglementés.

Les organisations membres du CCIAN mènent cette transformation dans un marché de la vérification du secteur juridique de 50 à 70 M$ qui pointe vers un débouché économique de 500 M$ à 1 G$ couvrant les services financiers, les soins de santé, les télécommunications et le gouvernement.

L’accomplissement : La VI client est passée du stade expérimental à quelque chose d’essentiel dans le secteur juridique, positionnant le Canada comme un primo adoptant mondial avec des solutions avérées, prêtes pour des marchés de confiance.

Le débouché à venir : La réussite de l’Ontario fournit un modèle. Le fait de l’étendre au Québec, au Canada atlantique et aux territoires favorisera la prospérité économique.

Trois cas de réussite montrant la voie à suivre

  • 700 000+ transactions prouvant que le modèle fonctionne : Au Canada, les avocats, les notaires et les clients ont adopté la vérification numérique comme étant fiable, sûre et pratique.
  • Les membres du CCIAN innovent avec les approches de vérification : Qu’il s’agisse de solutions simplifiées à méthode unique ou de systèmes exhaustifs à triple vérification, les fournisseurs font preuve de flexibilité pour différents profils de risque.
  • La demande du marché continue de croître : Le taux de croissance annuel composé (TCAC) de 16,7 % fait état de débouchés soutenus pour les fournisseurs canadiens qui se hissent à une échelle économique.

Occasion stratégique : L’écart entre les territoires dominants et les marchés émergents crée des trajectoires de croissance évidentes. Cela exige une collaboration entre les innovateurs de l’industrie, les organismes de réglementation avant-gardistes et les partenaires gouvernementaux.

Téléchargez le rapport ici.

Client-IDV-Success-in-Canadas-Legal-Sector-FRN

DIACC and SIROS Foundation Partner to Advance Global Leadership in Digital Trust and Interoperable Credentials

Toronto, Canada, October 28, 2025 – The DIACC and the SIROS Foundation are proud to announce a strategic collaboration to accelerate trust, interoperability, and innovation in digital credentials and wallets.

This partnership brings together two recognized leaders in digital trust and identity services and responsible innovation to develop solutions that empower individuals, institutions, and governments to securely verify and share information across borders and sectors. The collaboration will focus on opportunities to support and extend academic and professional credentialing, labour mobility, and workforce upskilling, building the foundation for a more connected, inclusive, and trusted digital economy.

“Digital trust and identity is not only technology capabilities, they are economic and social enablers,” said Joni Brennan, President of DIACC. “Working with SIROS allows us to connect Canada’s public and private sector leadership with global industry-needs driven best practices to deliver real-world, interoperable solutions that benefit all.”

Through this collaboration, DIACC and SIROS will:

  • Address challenges and opportunities related to international interoperability, digital trust and identity assurance policy, and trust in specific use cases. 
  • Align efforts to enhance the secure and trusted exchange of digital credentials across sectors and jurisdictions.
  • Develop and showcase real-world use cases proving the effectiveness of interoperable digital trust and identity solutions.
  • Collaborate to advance policy alignment and technical interoperability through pilot projects and testing around use cases, including: Travel, Education, Payments, Organizational/Business credentials, Labour mobility, Professional upskilling, and Academic integration

“The SIROS Foundation is dedicated to building digital ecosystems that are secure, inclusive, and human-centred,” said Stina Ehrensvärd, Board of Directors SIROS Foundation. “By joining forces with DIACC, we can advance trust infrastructure that strengthens economic resilience and opportunities across Europe and Canada.”

Together, DIACC and SIROS are positioning Canada and its partners at the forefront of global digital trust innovation, advancing a model where secure, verifiable, and portable credentials enable greater mobility, economic growth, and public confidence in the digital age.

About DIACC
The DIACC is a non-profit coalition of public and private sector leaders working to unlock economic and societal opportunities for Canadians through secure, privacy-enhancing digital trust and identity verification solutions. 

About SIROS Foundation
The SIROS Foundation advances secure, inclusive, and responsible digital ecosystems through research, collaboration, and strategic initiatives that prioritize trust, transparency, and human-centric innovation.

L’CCIAN-DIACC félicite le Québec pour l’adoption historique de sa loi sur l’identité numérique nationale

Le 28 octobre 2025 – Le Conseil canadien de l’identité et de l’authentification numérique (CCIAN) félicite chaleureusement le gouvernement du Québec et l’Assemblée nationale pour l’adoption du projet de loi n° 82, Loi concernant l’identité numérique nationale et modifiant d’autres dispositions. Cette législation historique représente une étape importante dans le parcours de transformation numérique du Canada et démontre le leadership du Québec dans l’avancement de solutions d’identité numérique sécuritaires et centrées sur les citoyens.

« L’adoption du projet de loi n° 82 est une réalisation monumentale qui positionne le Québec à l’avant-garde de l’innovation en matière d’identité numérique au Canada », a déclaré Joni Brennan, président, CCIAN. « Cette législation incarne les principes fondamentaux que l’ACCDC défend depuis longtemps : la protection de la vie privée, la sécurité, le contrôle par l’utilisateur et l’adoption volontaire. L’engagement du Québec à donner aux citoyens le contrôle de leurs renseignements personnels tout en améliorant l’accès aux services gouvernementaux constitue un exemple puissant pour les administrations partout au pays. »

L’CCIAN salue particulièrement l’approche réfléchie du Québec pour la mise en œuvre de l’identité numérique nationale, qui comprend :

  • La protection de la vie privée dès la conception : Assurer que les citoyens ne partagent que les renseignements personnels minimaux requis pour chaque service
  • La participation volontaire : Respecter le choix individuel dans l’utilisation des attestations d’identité numérique
  • Une sécurité renforcée : Réduire les risques de vol d’identité et de fraude grâce aux attestations numériques
  • L’autonomisation des citoyens : Donner aux individus le contrôle sur leurs renseignements personnels et exiger une approbation pour chaque utilisation
  • La consultation publique : Engagement à consulter la population sur l’utilisation de caractéristiques biométriques

L’accent mis par la législation sur la gouvernance des données, la cybersécurité et la souveraineté numérique s’aligne parfaitement avec le Cadre pancanadien de confiance de l’CCIAN et démontre une approche globale pour bâtir des écosystèmes numériques dignes de confiance.

L’CCIAN se réjouit de poursuivre sa collaboration avec le ministère de la Cybersécurité et du Numérique et les autres parties prenantes alors que le Québec met en œuvre cette initiative transformatrice. Cette réalisation renforce l’importance des efforts coordonnés entre les administrations canadiennes pour créer des solutions d’identité numérique interopérables et dignes de confiance qui servent tous les Canadiens.

Joni Brennan
President, DIACC

FCT’s Client ID Verification Achieves DIACC PCTF Certification: Enhancing Digital Trust for Legal Professionals

Toronto, October 23, 2025 – We are thrilled to announce that FCT Client ID Verification has been certified against the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework ™(PCTF) Verified Person Component at LOA2. Established in 2012, DIACC is Canada’s largest multistakeholder organization, exclusively addressing digital trust and identity verification, fostering confidence and consistency in the market through its internationally recognized framework and standardized third-party conformity assessment program.

Legal professionals today face a daunting task: safeguarding sensitive client information while navigating ever-changing regulatory landscapes as technology evolves rapidly. To address this, FCT’s Client ID Verification solution has successfully achieved certification against the DIACC Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF), ensuring its solution meets the highest bar for security and trust.​ 

The PCTF enhances digital trust relationships across the Canadian ecosystem based on legal, policy, and technical requirements to which organizations agree to adopt, which includes best practices, policies, technical specifications, guidance, regulations, and standards, prioritizing interoperability, privacy, security, and trustworthy use of digital identity and personal data.

“Earning certification against the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) demonstrates FCT’s dedication to protecting Canadians’ personal information while supporting the legal community’s shift toward digital transformation,” said Joni Brennan, President of DIACC. “This
achievement shows how trusted digital identity solutions can simplify compliance, strengthen security, and make digital services safer for everyone.”

Purpose-built for Canadian legal professionals, FCT’s Client ID Verification is a quick, secure, digital solution designed to authenticate client IDs in minutes, whether in person or online. By aligning with the PCTF, we can ensure personal data is managed, stored and secured with the highest standards of protection, so that legal professionals can always move forward with confidence.​ 

This certification guarantees that legal professionals’ client data is handled with the highest level of trust and security. FCT’s Client ID Verification meets KYC obligations, providing consistent quality that reduces risk, builds trust and helps legal professionals adopt digital workflows to meet regulatory requirements. ​ 

​Seamless workflow integration is at the heart of our solution. By integrating into the tools legal professionals already use and minimizing manual data entry, ID verifications can be completed efficiently while maintaining accuracy and compliance. Clients retain control of their information on their own devices, stored in their secure digital wallet, streamlining the verification process and reducing duplicate data entry errors. ​ 

“FCT’s completion of the DIACC Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) certification demonstrates our commitment to delivering best-in-class identity verification and fraud detection products that empower legal professionals to work with confidence. Legal professionals trust FCT to help them navigate an increasingly risky environment. FCT’s Client ID Verification meets the highest national standards and delivers on our core brand promise of supporting legal professionals with secure digital workflows that drive efficiency and build trust with our clients at every step.” – Ryan Lambert, Vice President, data and strategy.

With FCT’s Client ID Verification, legal professionals can feel confident knowing they are using a solution built to the highest national standards, helping them manage sensitive information responsibly, reduce audit failure risk and keep pace with regulatory changes. By providing clear benchmarks for ID verification solutions, we are working to support the digital transformation of the legal sector, while ensuring functional benefits like compliance, reduced risk and workflow efficiency. ​ 

About DIACC
Established in 2012, DIACC is a non-profit strategic alliance of public and private sector members committed to advancing full and beneficial participation in the global digital economy by promoting PCTF adoption and conformity assessment. DIACC prioritizes personal data control, privacy, security, accountability, and inclusive people-centred design. To learn more about DIACC, please visit https://diacc.ca/

About FCT
Since introducing title insurance to Canada in 1991, FCT has continued to lead the way with innovative solutions that simplify and streamline the real estate process. Today, they have significantly expanded their offerings to become leaders in property intelligence, residential and commercial solutions, residential lending solutions, and asset recovery. Their diverse lines of business support partners and customers across the entire real estate lifecycle.

About FCT Client ID Verification
It provides a quick, secure digital solution for legal professionals to meet their FINTRAC and KYC obligations effortlessly. Lawyers and Notaries can authenticate their client’s identity using technology that performs many types of validation, including biometric matching between a live selfie and portraits extracted from identity documents, analyzes government-issued identity documents, including cryptographic verification of ePassports, to check against a multitude of compliance data points, including credit bureau and mobile account verification directly on their smartphone. In minutes, the verified credential is issued and stored in the client’s mobile phone’s secure digital wallet, and the report can be accessed directly by the legal professional from FCT’s ID verification portal.

Media Contact:
Joni Brennan
President
Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC)
communications@diacc.ca

DIACC Unviels Digital Trust Adoption Dashboard: Transparency for a Connected Canada

October 16, 2025 – We are thrilled to announce the launch of DIACC’s Digital Trust Adoption Dashboard, a transformative, interactive tool developed by our Adoption Expert Committee (AEC), marking a pivotal moment in Canada’s digital trust journey.

This public resource maps the evolution of digital trust programs across Canada’s provinces and territories. By combining data from government sources with an interactive, map-based interface, the dashboard reveals the current state of digital verification and authentication services, trust program adoption, interoperability, and maturity across the country.

Why This Matters for Canada

Digital trust is no longer optional; it is foundational infrastructure for a competitive, secure, and inclusive Canadian economy. Citizens deserve seamless, secure access to services. Businesses require trusted digital transactions to thrive. Governments need efficient, interoperable systems to serve their constituents effectively.

This dashboard empowers decision-makers, innovators, and policymakers to move beyond assumptions and into action. It reveals where progress is accelerating, where gaps exist, and, most critically, where strategic alignment and collaboration can unlock exponential value for all Canadians. In an era where digital capability determines economic resilience, this transparency is not just valuable; it is essential.

Built on Collaboration, Designed for Impact

Developed through rigorous collaboration among the AEC, government partners across jurisdictions, and DIACC’s dedicated team, this dashboard demonstrates the power of public-private collaboration. Each data point reflects publicly observable information, and, to the greatest extent possible, we’ve validated the data for accuracy.

The AEC will maintain and evolve this living resource, with regular reviews and updates triggered by significant program or policy developments. Regular monitoring ensures the dashboard remains not just current but also actionable, a dynamic tool that grows in value as Canada’s digital trust public sector services ecosystem matures.

A Call to Engagement

This initiative embodies DIACC’s commitment to making Canada’s digital trust landscape auditable, transparent, and interconnected. We are advancing both economic innovation and public good by providing an accessible, evidence-based foundation for informed decision-making.

As this tool evolves, we invite the Canadian public, industry stakeholders, and government partners to engage with it, share insights, and provide feedback. Your perspectives will strengthen this resource and accelerate our collective progress. Please direct your feedback and inquiries to contact@diacc.ca.

We congratulate the AEC and the entire DIACC team for delivering this critical milestone in Canada’s digital trust transformation. This tool demonstrates leadership in action, which is what our nation needs as we build the trusted digital future Canadians deserve.

DIACC’s Digital Trust Adoption Dashboard

Developed by our Adoption Expert Committee (AEC)

Purpose & Intent

  • Provide an interactive map showing current public-sector digital trust programs offered across Canadian provinces and territories.
  • Enable stakeholders to see adoption, interoperability, and maturity at a glance.
  • Support evidence-based decision-making and identify opportunities for collaboration, alignment, and private sector engagement.

How We Collected Data

  • Coordinated efforts with the support of AEC members and DIACC staff.
  • Observable/visible data from public government sources (program names, departments, service destinations, adoption metrics).
  • Structured questions (developed by AEC) to ensure consistency across jurisdictions.
  • Targeted government consultations to validate findings and capture policy context.

Committee Role & Maintenance

  • Ongoing stewardship: The AEC is responsible for maintaining the dashboard’s accuracy and relevance.
  • Review cadence: Annual reviews, plus updates triggered by major policy, regulatory, or program changes.
  • Monitoring: Track government announcements, adoption metrics, and stakeholder input to keep data fresh and actionable.

Key Takeaways

  • Purpose: Deliver a transparent, observable data-based view of Canada’s digital trust landscape.
  • Methodology: Grounded in both observable-sourced data and committee government representative consultations.
  • Sustainability: Maintained by AEC with annual reviews and update triggers.

Utility: A living tool to support strategy, collaboration, and interoperability at the national level.

Further Reading:

DIACC is Where Digital Trust Means Business

Contact us to be a part of the change you want to see, stay informed about developments in digital trust and identity verification, and learn how you can contribute to discussion drafts or become a member.

Letter from our President

In an era when identity fraud is evolving rapidly, our collective efforts to defend the integrity of client-lawyer relationships have never been more vital. Today, I’m proud to reflect on a significant step forward: the launch of the PCTF Legal Professionals Profile Final Recommendation V1.1, the first industry-specific profile under the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF). diacc.ca

This development is more than a technical standard; it’s a symbol of what’s possible when regulators, legal professionals, and technology providers protect clients, preserve trust, and reduce risk on the front lines of legal practice.

Why This Profile Matters

The PCTF Legal Professionals Profile establishes Conformance Criteria for how lawyers and their agents expect services to conduct client identity verification (IDV) in a manner that is auditable and consistent. 

Here’s what it does:

  • Reduces variability and risk by requiring that third-party agents meet minimum assurance criteria when verifying client identity. 
  • Clarifies expectations for service providers, helping them design identity solutions that align with law society requirements, avoid duplication of effort, and reduce uncertainty. 
  • Bridges practice and regulation by creating a pathway supporting compliance, enabling lawyers to rely on trusted, certified identity services rather than reinventing idiosyncratic internal solutions. diacc.ca

In short, this profile turns what was once discretionary or opaque into something auditable, transparent, and scalable.

The Challenge We Face: Rising Fraud, Rapid Change

The timing of this launch is critical. Fraud and identity theft remain persistent threats in Canada’s digital era:

  • In 2023, the police-reported rate of general fraud increased by 12% compared to 2022, despite a decline in incidents of identity fraud and identity theft. Statistics Canada 
  • In 2024 alone, Canadians lost $638 million to fraud. Canada.ca 
  • A 2025 Equifax study found that 48% of Canadians personally know someone who was a victim of identity theft. equifax.ca

These numbers reflect only a fraction of what’s really happening; many victims don’t report fraud, and many attacks go undetected for long periods.

The legal sector: lawyers have fiduciary responsibilities, handle funds, and often deal with clients remotely. The accuracy and trustworthiness of identity verification are crucial to maintaining legal integrity.

A Shifting Regulatory Landscape

Law societies and regulatory bodies are recalibrating in response to shifting norms and evolving risks:

  • Jurisdictions have rescinded the pandemic-era relaxations that allowed remote client verification via video calls alone. diacc.ca
  • The updated Client Identification and Verification (CIV) Rules now require that virtual verification utilize authentication technology capable of confirming the authenticity of government-issued IDs, rather than merely displaying them over video. Law Society of Alberta 
  • The use of third-party agents is now more explicitly permitted, provided the agent complies with the regulatory criteria, allowing lawyers to exercise controlled flexibility in how they operationalize identity checks. Law Society of Alberta | Law Society of British Columbia 

These changes place greater demands on vendors, law firms, and regulators, but also create openings for innovation, standardization, and certainty.

Progress Through Collaboration

What makes the release of the DIACC PCTF Legal Professionals Profile especially meaningful is that it represents progress through collaboration:

  1. Information was sought from the Federation of Law Societies of Canada to assist in creating the Legal Professionals Profile, enabling the tailoring of verification requirements to real-world legal workflows.
  2. Identity technology providers, such as Treefort Technologies, one of the first services to earn PCTF certification under the DIACC program, now have visible, auditable pathways to align with the legal sector’s expectations. Treefort’s early certification signals to lawyers and law societies that robust verification solutions are market-ready. Treeforttech 
  3. Legal professionals and firms now have a more straightforward path to choosing verification services that conform, not just on paper, but in practice. The DIACC Member Services Directory and the Trusted List of certified services are ready reference points. diacc.ca

By stepping into a coordination role, neither vendor nor regulator, DIACC has helped create common ground. Such neutral convening is rare, but essential in domains where trust, regulation, and technology must intersect.

What This Means for Canadian Lawyers on the Front Lines

For lawyers, especially those serving clients remotely or handling high-risk transactions, the implications are real:

  • Less friction in onboarding new clients, because lawyers can confidently outsource identity checks to trusted services.
  • Reduced liability and regulatory risk, because the verification process is auditable and traceable.
  • More consistency in expectations across jurisdictions would reduce the burden of navigating different local rules.
  • Improved client confidence, clients increasingly expect digital convenience without compromising security.

Consider the example of remote identity verification in real estate law. Lawyers like “Jamie” can now verify client identity using vendor services that combine document authentication, facial matching, liveness checks, and risk assessments, without requiring clients to come into the office. diacc.ca

It’s a tangible shift: trust, remote convenience, and compliance can coexist.

The Road Ahead: Opportunities & Challenges

This milestone is a launch point, not a finish line. Here’s what remains:

  • Broad adoption: The value of the Profile grows only when law societies, large firms, small practices, and vendors all adopt it.
  • Ongoing certification rigour: As bad-actor fraud techniques advance (e.g., AI-assisted deepfakes, synthetic identity attacks), the conformance criteria must evolve.
  • Education and support: Many lawyers will require help in selecting, integrating, and monitoring identity verification services.
  • Interoperability across sectors: Legal identity verification must increasingly interoperate with banking, government, and other trust ecosystems.
  • Monitoring outcomes and feedback loops: We need to measure how this framework reduces fraud, speeds onboarding, builds confidence and iterates.

In Gratitude and in Resolve

To everyone who has supported this effort, from regulators to identity solution providers and legal professionals, thank you. This profile is stronger because of your feedback, engagement, and dedication.

Our work is far from done. As fraudsters refine their tactics, we must continue to refine, adapt, and collaborate. That is the spirit of digital trust: not static defence, but evolving resilience.

DIACC remains committed to serving as a neutral, trusted enabler in this journey. We will continue to expand resources, convene stakeholders, monitor real-world outcomes, and raise the bar as threats evolve.

May this milestone mark what we’ve collectively accomplished and catalyze what comes next, a legal sector where client verification is seamless, fraud is harder to commit, and trust is foundational to every digital legal interaction.

Joni Brennan
President, DIACC

Further Reading:

DIACC is Where Digital Trust Means Business

Contact us to be a part of the change you want to see, stay informed about developments in digital trust and identity verification, and learn how you can contribute to discussion drafts or become a member.

Reimagining Canada Post: From Delivering Mail to Delivering Trust

Letter from the President

Canada Post is losing approximately ten million dollars per day. The traditional business model of delivering physical mail to every Canadian address is fundamentally unsustainable. The federal government has directed the corporation to reduce delivery frequency and fundamentally transform operations.

Crisis as Catalyst

This is a crisis. However, it’s also an opportunity that Canada risks missing if we consider Canada Post solely in terms of mail delivery.

The Hidden Infrastructure

Consider what Canada Post actually represents: a trusted institution with physical presence in virtually every Canadian community, deep expertise in verification and logistics, existing relationships spanning individuals and businesses, public accountability, and a mandate to serve all Canadians regardless of commercial viability.

These aren’t assets to be wound down. They are the foundations for building Canada’s digital trust infrastructure.

Where Private Innovation Falls Short

The private sector has pioneered remarkable innovations in digital trust and identity verification, user experience, and privacy-enhancing technologies. Still, private sector solutions may face inherent limitations: market forces drive them toward commercially valuable populations and geographies; profit imperatives can create tensions with privacy protection; and competitive dynamics resist the open standards that enable broad interoperability.

A Vision for Digital Trust

Canada Post could bridge this gap, not by displacing private innovation, but by complementing it. Imagine Canada Post operating as a privacy-preserving verification service that helps Canadians prove their identity online, confirm addresses for e-commerce and financial services, and authenticate business credentials. Imagine post offices serving as trusted in-person verification points where Canadians without smartphones or digital literacy can establish digital credentials with assistance. Imagine Canada Post providing the addressing infrastructure that enables secure digital commerce while protecting privacy.

Complement, Not Compete

This isn’t about government competing with private sector innovators. It’s about leveraging a trusted public institution to ensure universal access, serve populations that aren’t commercially attractive, maintain the physical-digital bridge that inclusion requires, and operate according to public interest principles rather than purely commercial logic.

Asking The Right Question

Canada Post’s transformation should be guided by a simple question: What role can a universally accessible, publicly accountable, and privacy-respecting institution play in Canada’s digital trust ecosystem? The answer isn’t « deliver less mail. » It’s « deliver digital trust services that complement private innovation while ensuring no Canadian is left behind. »

Joni Brennan
President, DIACC

Further Reading:

DIACC is Where Digital Trust Means Business

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